Part 3 Essay Question (40%): Your essay should have an introduction with a clear and specific thesis, a body with evidence, and a conclusion that reinforces your central argument. Select the option you feel the most comfortable with and answer it to the best of your ability. You may find it helpful to write out a brief outline of the essay before you begin writing.Choose ONE (1):What were the major accomplishments of the short-lived Sui Dynasty? How did the two most important accomplishments have a lasting impact on Chinese societies? Aside from the emperor, who formed the ruling class of the Sui Dynasty and how could one become part of that ruling class? What contributed to the decline and fall of the Sui Dynasty?Chart the progression of Frankish tribes from their origins to the successors of Charlemagne’s Empire. Who was Charlemagne and what were his major accomplishments? How did Charlemagne found such an expansive empire in Europe? How was Charlemagne’s Empire divided after his and his son’s death? In what ways did the division of Charlemagne’s Empire mark the rudimentary political boundaries for modern Europe?Trace and analyze the social distinctions in early Muslim societies, particularly during the Umayyad Caliphate. Who comprised the top of the social hierarchy in Muslim societies and what groups of people made up the lower strata? How did Muslims in this era interact with Jews and Christians? What roles did slaves play in Muslim societies? What was expected of women in the Islamic faith; what rights did they have and what restrictions did they face? Describe Muslim marriages.

Part 3 Essay Question (40%): Your essay should have an introduction with a clear and specific thesis, a body with evidence, and a conclusion that reinforces your central argument. Select the option you feel the most comfortable with and answer it to the best of your ability. You may find it helpful to write out a brief outline of the essay before you begin writing.Choose ONE (1):Compare and contrast the civilizations of Ancient Mesopotamia. How did Mesopotamian leaders legitimize their authority and effectively manage their empires? In what ways did these civilizations expand their territories and incorporate new people into their area of rule?Compare the Three Great Religions of Ancient India. What are these religions, what are their major tenets, and how did they help shape Indian civilization? In what ways did Ancient Indian cosmology and the concepts of samsara, karma, moksha, and dharma impact these religions?Compare and contrast Ancient Greece’s two greatest poleis: Athens and Sparta. In what ways were these societies similar and in what ways did they differ? Describe how these city-states came into conflict with one another during the Peloponnesian War.  What issues led to this conflict and which group ultimately emerged victorious?

Part 2 Short Answer ID Terms (30%): A short answer ID should briefly address the basic journalistic questions: who or what, when, where, and why. Be sure to discuss the historical significance – this is the most important part of your ID term. It is best to write a paragraph of at least 4-5 sentences for each ID term. Do not leave any portion of the five options you choose blank – it is best to write something, even if you must guess somewhat. Partial credit is better than nothing.Answer FIVE (5) of the following terms:The Carolingian RenaissanceDiocletianEtruscansThe First EmperorThe Five Pillars of IslamKebra NagastMansa MusaMuhammadPaul of TarsusXiongnu

is one of the greatest and most famous works of art in the world. It was sculpted by Michelangelo during the Italian Renaissance and exemplified the artist’s (and the movement’s) insistence that human beings have great dignity and are worthy of admiration and contemplation. Counter to the biblical basis for the theme of the sculpture, Michelangelo designed his subject to be a muscular, powerful, and full-formed adult. He used a beautiful, but flawed, block of marble for the sculpture that had been infamous in Florence for its tricky air pockets (making it subject to cracking). Michelangelo showed his immense skill as an artist by incorporating the imperfections in the marble and using them to form veins, ligaments, and sinew for his sculpture.

The Gupta Empire in India saw a cultural flowering, particularly in art and literature. One of India’s greatest literary minds, Kalidasa (ca. 380-450), wrote both plays and poetry (much like William Shakespeare more than a thousand years later). His most famous work was a play called which is considered among India’s greatest cultural works.

Bernardino de Sahagún’s work, , compiled around 1557-1580, was criticized by Sahagún’s superiors in the Catholic Church for its sympathetic portrayal of the Aztecs. It was shelved and only rediscovered 200 years after it was lost. It represents an important piece of history in terms of documenting early European contact with Native Americans. It contains passages in the Nahuatl language (sometimes with Spanish translations), as well as illustrations of contact between the cultures made by Native American artists. One image from the work shows the moment that Moctezuma II was taken captive by the Spanish.

Alessandro Botticelli’s master work, , is an example of the Platonic Neo-Classical style common to the Italian Renaissance. The painting represents a quantum leap in quality over prior medieval works with its ability to incorporate a sense of depth, focal points, and a proportionate figure. It also stands as an example of private patronage (rather than church patronage) with its classical, mythical theme. The perfection exhibited by the central figure embodied the Renaissance’s positive view of human qualities (as being nearly divine) rather than the humble medieval view that human beings were lacking in dignity and nearly worthless.

While it was not the first known written law, of ca. 1755 B.C.E. is the oldest nearly complete system of laws known to historians. It was adopted by a Babylonian king of Ancient Mesopotamia, and gave great insight into daily life in Babylonia (for instance, most of the laws relate to marriage, family, agriculture, and lineage, suggesting what was important in this society). Legal penalties varied depending on one’s class and gender; however, those of the same station were famously promised “an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” It provided Babylonia with a more uniform system of laws and served as a way for the king to justify his rule.

were part of the religious violence that developed in the context of the Protestant Reformation, when Europe experienced a heightened sense of God’s power and divine wrath, as well as the diabolical powers of the Devil. They first began in Switzerland and southern Germany in the late fifteenth century, became less numerous during the early decades of the Reformation, and then picked up significantly around 1560. They spread throughout much of western Europe and the European colonies in the Americas, and between 100,000-200,000 people were criminally accused and between 40,000-60,000 were executed. By around 1660, these proceedings had become less common.

was an extremely harsh legal system adopted in Athens in 621 B.C.E. This legal policy was adopted after Athenian small landowners pressured an aristocrat to form a new legal system. From this change, Athenians developed the ideal that the law belonged to all citizens.